You can harvest fresh fruit 12 months a year in our area! Even those who are space challenged can grow in containers--all you really need is sun. Where fruit is concerned, heat equals sweet. (There are even a few plants that will set fruit in less than full sun, but your choices will be limited.) Want to learn how? Consult the good folks of the California Rare Fruit Growers who will be here on Saturday, June 19th from 10 AM to 2 PM. They are fruit lovers willing to test the limits of what can be grown here. If you have a hankering for some choice fruit that you cannot find in the market, these are the folks you'll want to ask for advice.

CRFGers are always on the lookout for the tastiest fruit varieties without regard for what is commercially available (and thus found in markets). They have experience with growing both exotics and hardy fruits. The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CRFG is an active group that meets at Prusch Park in San Jose, where they maintain an orchard of different fruits. If you are interested in growing your own, be sure to attend our Celebration of Fruit on June 19th. See coming events for details.

Click here to learn more about the California Rare Fruit Growers.

Fruit trees can be planted year-round. Yamagami's Nursery currently offers a wide selection including Hardy Bananas, Avocados, Jujubes, Persimmons, Suncrest Peaches, Genetic Dwarf Peaches and Nectarines, Asian Pears, Grapes, Berries and loads of Citrus varieties.

Hydrangeas are stunning in the summer in all their various forms. Yamagami's Nursery offers many types including Endless Summer, a new and improved "mophead" type. They produce big ball shaped flowers on both old and new wood, and thus bloom all summer long (unlike older varieties). 'Twist-N-Shout', the latest in the Endless Summer Collection, features pink "lace-cap" flowers with an outer edge of large petals and a center of tiny flowers.

Another showy "lace-cap" variety is the variegated Hydrangea g. Mariesii. It features cream and green foliage topped with the more delicate appearing blue lace-cap blooms. The mophead hydrangeas do best in morning sun with shad or filtered sun in the afternoon.

Another choice type is the climbing Hydrangea a. petiolaris. It can be either green-leafed or in the case of 'Miranda', variegated. Both feature lovely white lace-cap flowers. These hydrangeas not only climb - they attach themselves to the wall as they grow, so no trellis or tying is necessary. They are more tolerant of shade than mopheads, and will thrive and bloom in areas where other flowering vines will not.

One of the most striking Hydrangeas is the Oakleaf type, Hydrangea quercifolia. They feature very large, oakleaf-shaped leaves with huge white cone-shaped flowers. They are very showy when blooming, then follow that up with lovely fall color. They even develop a peeling bark with age. They will tolerate more shade than mopheads but bloom best with some morning sun.

Summer is when your shade garden is most appealing for relaxation. Make your shade garden an oasis of color with Hydrangeas as the foundation. As a group they are pretty low maintenance and can even be low water using when established. Come to Yamagami's Nursery to consult with our friendly Nursery Pros for ways to make your shade garden everything it can be. We are here to help you succeed... the first time.

Two new seedless grape varieties have recently arrived. Thomcord Grape is a cross between a Thompson Seedless and a Concord Grape. It inherited the best of both parents with the rich flavor of the Concord and the added sweetness of the Thompson plus - no seeds!

Blueberry Grape is another dark purple seedless grape, but its flavor has a distinctly blueberryish taste. Try one of these tasty alternatives to the more common red or green seedless types. Come to Yamagami's Nursery for the most exciting and interesting fruit selections.

Smell the difference nature makes. Instead of masking odors with chemicals, use Fresh Wave products to neutralize them naturally. The science behind the products is that the natural molecules carry an electrostatic charge that attracts and binds stinky particles. For more information see www.fresh-wave.com.

You'll find Fresh Wave in a non-aerosol spray to use on fabrics, crystals for the air, candles for quick action plus ambience, a carpet shake, vacuum crystals, and as a multi-purpose cleanser additive. Fresh Wave absorbs odors leaving only the faintest fragrance in the air. Breathe deeply and safely with Fresh Wave products. Check out our gift room for these and other interesting products.

Wednesday, May 12th Alan Tagami, our official Giant Pumpkin Godfather, planted three Giant Pumpkin seedlings. Their beginning has not been auspicious, what with all the rain and gloom until recently. We will only be able to keep the most vigorous one, so it really is a growing race for their lives. Come check them out on your next visit or follow us on Facebook for weekly updates on their progress. Feel free to send us images of your own giant pumpkins as they grow. The last few days of sun have made a big difference and they are really taking off! Here they are 4 weeks in the ground, growing strong and even starting to bloom!